Golden Retriever - Seer [VINYL]

What do you get when you create a hybrid of planetarium music, Miles Davis, and a lethargic Squarepusher? You get Seer’s Golden Retriever.

If the artwork for the record didn’t clue you in to the content, it should. You’ll get lots of 'spacey” sounds using simplistic notes and loops. While it doesn’t quite achieve a calming effect, it is far from abrasive in nature. Think a poor man’s Aphex Twin’s Ambient Works. While not nearly in the same league as the aforementioned, it is very nice 'background' music, or perhaps thinking music. Easily, you could play this on some speakers small or large and gaze at the stars in wonderment and take a 'trip' (don’t do drugs kids, they’re bad).

The duo which makes up Golden Retriever are Matt Carlson and Jonathan Sielaff, who seem to combine the practice of free improvisation with experimental music. Envisioning this duo in their workshop, you can easily imagine a lot of the sounds are created out of happy accidents and an ongoing effort under the influence or deprived of sleep.

They keep it very minimal. There isn’t a lot of layering or a variety of sounds and effects, but this is not due to a lack of talent or effort. This positive choice keeps the listener on the plane they want you on. You find that comfortable space where you can really just zone out.

My biggest criticism of this record is that it feels far too short for this sort of sound. It coomes in at about 40 minutes - that’s half the length of Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works 2. But all in all, I like this album. I feel that the nature of the sound lends itself to a more 'simple' kind of record which doesn’t blow you out of the water, but nor does it disappoint.

If you’re a fan of the genre, then this would be a worthwhile record to pick up. Not party appropriate, but excellent for an isolated listen.